Electric meter



(No Model.)

C. O. SGHUMACHER & A. G. ZAMEL.

ELECTRIC) METER.

No; 589,672. Patented sept. 7,1897.

'Il I u W I u I i u A m f Usnmh i UNITED STATES PATENT Granica CHARLES O. SOHUMACHER AND ALBERT G. ZAMEL, OF CHICAGO, ITJNOS.

ELECTRIC METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,672, dated September '7, 1897.

Application filcd May ZZ, 1897. Serial No. 637,695. (No model.)

T a, 1071/0777/ lit may colwcrn:

Be it known that we, CHARLES C. SCHU- MAOHER and ALBERT G. ZAMEL, etizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Recording the Duration of Use of Electric Currents, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

Our invention is designed more particularly for recording the duration of use of electric lights and more especially of arc-lights, it being` the custom at present to rent arclights for use during certain hours and at the expiration of which time the current is either discontinued or thelight switched off by a representative of the electric light company.

The object of our`invention, therefore, is to provide iinproved and simple means whereby the length of time that the con sumer burns the are-light may be accurately recorded, tliereby enabling small consumers to employ the are-light without being compelled to pay for it for a certain length of time whether in use or not.

More speciflcally stated, the object of our invention is to interpose in the main circuit leading` to the light, at a point between the light and the switch which controls it, an electrical device which, when the current flows therethrough to the lamp or light, will set in inotion the mechanism of a clock or other time-recorder, and when the current is discoutinued or shut oif from the lamp will arrest the movement of said recording mechanism.

7With these ends in View our invention consists in certain features of novelty in the construction, combination, and arrangeinent of parts by which the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing are attained, all as fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

The said drawing is a side elcvation or face View of our improved recordin g device, showing a part of the clock or recorder dial broken away for disclosing some of the internal niechanism.

1 represcnts the line-Wire, 2 an ordinary switch-box interposed therein between the source of supply and the light orlamp 3, and

st is an electromagnet interposcd in the circuit between the switch 2 and the lamp 3, such magnet being` formed, if desircd, by a section of the ordinary line conductor coiled the requisite number of times around a softiron core, so that when the light isturned on by means of the switch 2 the magnet -t will be energized.

5 represents an arinature pivoted at G to an ordinary base 7 Or other suitable support and arranged to be attracted by the magnet 4-. This armature 5 is provided with an arin 8, to which is attached a spring 9, made adjustable by set-scrcw 10 for holding` the armaturc 5 normally aloof from the magnet '-t. This arln S is provided with an extension ll, which passes through a suitable opening in the casing of a clock or other suitable recorder 12 and carries a toothed segment 13. rl`his segment remains iu mesh or engagement with a pinion lt on the spindle of the balance-wheel 15 or other suitable part of the recording mechanism and holds the clock or recording mechanism at rest during the time that the current is turned off and the light is not in use; but as soon as the current is turned on and the magnet 41 becomes energized the down ward movem ent of the armature causes the segment 13 to ride past the pinion let, and in doing so start the balance-wheel and put the recording mechanism in motion. Thesegment 13 remains in this elevated or advanced position out of contact with the pinion let as long as the current continues to pass and energize the magnet 4, and the instant the current is turned off the spring 9, or even the force of gravity acting upon the arm ll and segment 13,1'eturns the latter to its normal position, as shown in the drawing, in engagemeut with the pinion 11- on the balancewheel spindle, and again stops the clock or recorder and holds it inactive until the current is again allowed to pass through the helix of the magnet.

The dial of the clock or recorder may bc divided into any suitable number of graduatious representing hours and fractions thereof, and it will be undorstood that in the use of the device the hands of the clock or recorder will be set at a predetermined,hour and the length of time that the current has been used Will be determined by the difference between such hour and the point at which the hands are subsequently found.

16 and 17 represents set or adj ustin..r serews arranged one on each side of the arm 8 and con'stitnting` ad j ustable stops for lilniting' the oscillation of such arm.

It Will of course be undcrstood that the described recording` mechanism may be used With equal facility for recording` the duration of time that electric currents are used for purposes other than electric lighting.

Having` thus described our invention, what we elaim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A device for the purpose described having` in combination a recorder provided with a balance-Wheel, a 'pinion on said balancewheel, a toothed segment engaging said pinion,an armature connected With said segment, and a magnet for attracting said armatnre, substantially as set fortl1.

2. A device for the purpose described having in combination an electric circuit or supply conductor, a switch interposed therein',

an electromagnet interposed in said cirenit between said switch and the point of consuinption, an armatnre for said niagnct, an arrn projecting,r from said armature and carrying` a toothed segment, a recorder having` a pinion with which said segment cngages and means for holding;` said segment in engagenient with said pinion When the inagnet is denergized, snbstantially as set forth.

A device for the pnrpose described having` in combination a recorder provided with a balance-wheel, a pinion on said balance- Wheel, a pivoted armature having an arm, a segment carried by said arin and engaging said pinion and having its face strnck 011 an are concentric with the are described by said arin whereby it will move into engagement with and also beyond and out of engagement with said pinion, and a magnet for attracting said armature, snbstantially as set forth.

CHARLES O. SCHUHACHER. ALBERT G. ZAMEL. Witnesses:

EDNA B. JOHNSON, F. A. llorKiNs. 

